Have you ever been “flamed” by someone who was angered by something you posted on a blog or in a Tweet? Or witnessed a cyber lynch mob go after someone who expressed an unpopular opinion? What about those “trolls” who seem to stalk the Internet, looking for opportunities to lob gratuitous insults at a celebrity? Perhaps you have even thought about closing your social media accounts because the level of vitriol was starting to poison your emotions.

What drives individuals and whole groups of people to act this way? The answers lie in our brains, and neuroscientist Ogi Ogas has undertaken to wrest open that black box. Previously, in his best-selling book, “A Billion Wicked Thoughts,” Ogas delved into what men and women really want, based on the intimate desires disclosed by their Internet searches. In his forthcoming book, “A Billion Angry Thoughts,” Ogas promises to reveal fascinating insights into how human aggression plays out in cyberspace. Among his conclusions: the design of the female social brain is better suited for the Internet than the male brain. “This is driving the first reversal of power in the history of our species,” he says. “Online, women’s aggressive instincts are more effective than men’s instincts.”

“Using our methods of Big Data computational neuroscience that we developed in A Billion Wicked Thoughts, we wanted to try to understand why there was so much hostility online,” Ogas says. “We analyzed millions of people’s online behavior on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Topix, Jezebel, ESPN.com, and other sites. We discovered patterns to people’s expressions of hostility–in particular, clear differences between male and female patterns.”

These differences are rooted in differences in the design of our brain, Ogas hypothesizes. “Men’s aggressive brains are ultimately designed for physical conflict, and men’s strategic instincts are physical–which are completely useless on the Internet,” he observes. “On the other hand, women’s aggressive brains are ultimately designed to be non-physical, non-confrontational, and community-oriented–and their instincts are highly effective in the networked world. Women can learn to tap into their natural abilities to make changes in the world, while men would be advised to unlearn many of their own instincts and learn from women.”

And how do gay men fare in the cyberwars? Listen to our show to find out!